Van Pelt/TV
Van Pelt is a big game hunter who resides within the deepest darkest dimension of the cursed board game, "Jumanji". Van Pelt's portrait is carved into the top left corner of the cover of the Jumanji board game, making him one of the game's main dangers. He frequently appears the 1996 animated series, as an abridged version of the 1995 film's Van Pelt; voiced by Sherman Howard. Appearance Van Pelt is an elderly, broad shouldered and well groomed and dressed man who wears an 18-1900s british hunter's uniform with a 10 gallon pith helmet, tan cape and black boots. His appearance is modified in-between seasons, such as alternating hair color. Personality Van Pelt is merciless and cruel, trying at all costs to hunt his prey to the very end. He hunts men and animals to display them as trophies on his wall. His constant attempts of hunting Alan might be associated to the latter's cowardice, Van Pelt's tastes for human hunting, or how Alan managed to evade his hunt for many years. Van Pelt's hunting skills and tracking abilities are second to none, as he can sniff out his prey by their scent, and track their pace by observing the environment left behind them. Nevertheless, he is an honorable gentleman that lives by what he refers to as the "Law of Jumanji" (Hunt or be hunted) and well spoken towards others, often saying: "Blast!" whenever something goes wrong, and can reason with people down to trading for more ammunition or a replacement firearm in exchange from antique gold coins. He even takes pride in having driven a species to extinction or two, and treasures their remains with sentimental attachment. Van Pelt had shown that old habits do indeed die hard, as shown right after thanking Alan from saving him from downing in Quicksand, he pulled a pistol out and attempted to shoot him regardless. At least in the animated series, the only being in Jumanji that Van Pelt was terrified of happened to be the intimidating Stalker, whom he encountered when the grim reaper employed him for a mission to hunt Alan and the kids, but was content to go against his orders after a great deal of frustration. He could also be scared off by the game's dice when taken into the dimension, due to the red glare that they gave off when they were taken into the game's inner realm. Role In the animated series, Van Pelt appears as a frequently recurring antagonistic big game hunter and the most dominant recurring threat, within the dimension of "Jumanji" and even has his portrait carved on the game board's front diorama. His 19th century jungle expeditionary uniform with pith helmet, cape, black boots are as much of his trademark as his double barreled, external hammer, break-action elephant gun, never appearing without any of them (even wearing his helmet and cradling his beloved weapon in bed). He frequently yells "Blast!" whenever things don't go his way, as well as "Sonny Jim", which also appears once in a while as a nod to the 1995 film. Like the 1995 film, Van Pelt is a central part of the game. Human or animal, almost everything is fair game and always makes him a present threat to everything and everyone (with the exception of the Stalker), but often seeks to kill Alan Parrish in order to complete his collection of trophies. According to Van Pelt, everyone must live by the Law of Jumanji and is either to be hunted or a hunter. When not hunting, Van Pet dwells in a shack upon a hilltop that houses his collection of trophies and a selection of appropriate weaponry, although his frequent weapon of choice is his elephant gun. He has mounted child heads in his hunting trophy collection, and the African-looking masks are probably mounted Manjis, who were ambiguously human, too. A special gem in his collection was the horn of a legendary Rhinoceros cousin known as a Juroceros, which Van Pelt made extinct before Alan arrived in Jumanji and regretting not being able to take it home due to its size and was furious to have it stolen from him. Van Pelt enjoyed a spot of tea at home while listening to relaxing opera music that was always played inside his house, while at night, Van Pelt took both his pith helmet and even his gun to bed. While Van Pelt tends to live a solitary life and most animals within "Jumanji" are prey to him, Van Pelt is master to a duo of ravenous black mastiffs hounds that respond to his commands by blowing on a horn. In addition to his hunting dogs, he has a monkey butler and Peter gains the ability to command an elephant while being possessed by Van Pelt. And during his competition with his rival Ludwig Von Richtor, Van Pelt used weasels to counter Von Richtor's eagles. He also apparently once had a housekeeping maid but had shot her for undisclosed reasons. When Jumanji was threatened with destruction by Peter in regards to Alan's likely death, the Stalker recruited Van Pelt with Trader Slick and Professor Ibsen to dispose of them, not only because they were the trio's frequent human encounters, but all of whom were terrified of the grim reaper, even though the three did not get on well with each other. In the series, as he is part of the game and, unlike the movie, never leaves the jungle, his moral and role are even more twisted. As he is a vital part of the game's mechanic, Van Pelt is unkillable as he was once impaled by the horn of a rhino trophy and didn't die, making him unable to be defeated by conventional means. If he somehow dies (although it is very difficult to do so), the victor will immediately be forced by the game to take his place as the hunter of Jumanji and resume his role (which almost happened to Peter). Also, later in the series, and not much unlike the movie, he begins to learn the game's mechanics. Although, in this case, since he never left the jungle, he understands it a little more, knowing exactly how to act according to the rules and even use it to his advantage. Abilities *'Elephant gun:' Although Van Pelt has a wide arsenal of weaponry in his lodge, his weapon of choice is his double barreled, elephant gun and is never seen without it. His gun is extremely powerful and the only effective way to rid of dangerous creatures like the Minotaur. When the weapon is dry of ammunition, the butt is an effective club that can knock down a fully grown man. He also has a pistol concealed in his uniform. *'Tracking': Van Pelt's hunting skills and tracking abilities are second to none, as he can sniff out his prey by their scent, and track their pace by observing the environment left behind them. He is known to even use a magnifying class for closer inspection. *'Invulnerability':Despite being slashed by a saber, crushed to death by collapsed paint pots, mauled by a mother Lioness, impalement from a Rhinoceros trophy's horn or completely swallowed by creatures, Van Pelt has always emerged unscathed, making him un-killable as he is a game-essential character. Alan has even acknowledged that he is indestructible and the only way to stop him would be to either imprison or throw him into a bottomless pit. *'Swagger stick': Akin to 1800s army officers, Van Pelt carries a swagger stick to restrain or injure opponents. It has a leash that can hook onto ledges to prevent falls or restrain opponents, evidently when hanging on the edge of a bottomless pit and intending to take Alan down with him. *'Hound horn': When needing extra help when hunting prey, Van Pelt can blow on a horn that will summon a duo of ravenous black mastiff-like hunting dogs to chase prey. The hounds can however be turned on their master if they hear the horn being blown by someone else. *'Saber': When traveling through the ever-growing jungle where the vegetation grows faster than bamboo, Van Pelt uses a Saber to cut his way through plants in his path. *'Traction Engine': When taking multiple or very large prey back to his lodge, Van Pelt drives a giant traction engine around the jungles. Concept art of Van Pelt's traction engine appears in the Season 2 & 3 closing credits. *'Whip:' Like the Jamazon Tribe, Van Pelt uses a bullwhip to restrain and interrogate victims, seemingly having no problem using it on children like Maria when asking her if Rock was a real person. Continuity *In Young Alan, Alan refers to his father taking part in duck hunting seasons which makes him a hunter of sorts. This is a nod to the 1995 film's allegory for both Van Pelt and Sam Parrish's dual performances relating to the moral about facing fears. *The animated version of Van Pelt appears in the Hasbro LCD, which itself is a promotional tie-in for the animated series. Category:TV Series Characters